"The gap is very small and definitely within our reach," said Chambliss' campaign spokeswoman, Michelle Hitt. "We'll just keep reminding people how Max Cleland's vote cancels [U.S. Sen.] Zell Miller's vote, and how Cleland is an obstacle to the president's agenda."

It might be a decent argument, except that Miller is a Democrat (no matter how "renegade" or conservative he may be) and has enthutiastically endorsed Cleland. One last bit of bad news for Chambliss: independents are breaking for Cleland 53-36.

Meanwhile, in the battle for the governor's mansion, Democrat governor Roy Barnes has a 49-42 lead. Like in nearly all gubernatorial races this year, this race is not about challenger Sonny Purdue, but a referendum on Barnes tenure. Given the effects of the Dubya recession, Barnes has held his own. And, while Cleland's negatives have risen as a result of his negative advertising, Barnes positive campaign have given his job approval a boost (55 percent, up from 49 percent in August).

One amazing finding: of 104 blacks polled, 103 said they would vote for Barnes. (White men, on the other hand, overwhelmingly chose the Republican candidate in both races.)

There is one bit of bad news for the Barnes campaign, as one of its top campaign issues has been co-opted and neutralized by the Purdue campaign:

"More than 50 percent of Georgians wouldn't vote for Roy Barnes if he gave them a free puppy," said Dan McLagan, a spokesman for Perdue.

Sorry Roy. Puppies won't do it this time. Time to go back to the drawing board. Kittens may work. Cuddly ones, not mangy strays. Or education...

(Thanks to Greg Greene of the Greenhouse Effect for directing my attention to the new polls.)